The PTI is all set to form the government in Gilgit Baltistan after having secured 22 of its 33 seats, according to the official results announced by the region’s election commission on Tuesday.
The PPP and PML-N – both of which have leveled allegations of rigging – hold five and three seats, respectively.
In all, the GB Assembly has 33 seats – 24 of which are contested through directed elections; six are reserved for women and three others reserved for technocrats and professionals. Political parties can nominate their candidates to the latter through proportional representation.
In the elections, the PTI emerged victorious on 10 seats, while seven were won by independent candidates. The JUI and Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) won one seat apiece. Six of the independent candidates have joined PTI after the election and the party already had a seat adjustment arrangement with the MWM.
PPP’s GB chapter President Advocate Amjad Hussain was declared as the winner in GBLA-1 and GBLA-4. PPP also won the GBLA-24 constituency. The party also got two reserved seats – one for women and the other for technocrats.
PTI’s Fatehullah Khan has been declared as the winner in GBLA-2, despite the constituency returning officer’s recommendation that a forensic audit of the ballots should be held. Earlier, unofficial results had indicated that PPP’s Jameel Ahmed would win the constituency with 8,817 votes against 8,200 secured by PTI’s Khan. But the recounting of votes turned the tables.
PPP workers and supporters took to the streets to protest against alleged rigging in the constituency. The protest had turned violent following clashes between demonstrators and police and four vehicles and a building of GB’s forest department were torched by unidentified miscreants. Protests against alleged rigging and use of force by police yesterday are also being held today.
In GBLA-3, PTI’s Syed Sohail Abbas was declared as the winner, while GBLA-5 was grabbed by independent candidate Javed Ali Manwa.
GBLA-6 and GBLA-7 were both won by PTI, while GBLA-8 was taken by MWM candidate Muhammad Kazim. Meanwhile, GBLA-9 and GBLA-10 were won by independent candidates.
PTI also won GBLA-11, GBLA-12, GBLA-13, GBLA-14, GBLA-18 and GBLA-20 constituencies.
The ruling party also grabbed four seats reserved for women and two reserved for technocrats.
Meanwhile, PML-N was able to grab GBLA-16 and GBLA-21 and one seat reserved for women.
Soon after the chief election commissioner issued the official election results, the PPP announced its rejection, saying that the outcome was announced without addressing the party’s reservations.
“How can results be announced officially when a protest by party workers is underway and PPP still has reservations?” asked PPP leader Nafisa Shah. She further said that the announcement of results had “exposed the nexus of federal government and [GB] election commission”.
